Tulfo, who chairs the Senate Committee on Games and Amusement, made the remarks ahead of upcoming Senate hearings on a proposal to ban all forms of online gambling. He specifically pointed to leading payment platforms such as GCash and PayMaya, urging them to block gambling-related transactions.
Call for Immediate Industry Action
Philippine Senator Erwin Tulfo (pictured) has urged the country’s digital wallet providers to sever their partnerships with online gambling platforms, warning that the situation has reached a crisis point. He pressed companies to act voluntarily before the government is forced to impose legal restrictions.
Tulfo, who chairs the Senate Committee on Games and Amusement, made the remarks ahead of upcoming Senate hearings on a proposal to ban all forms of online gambling. He specifically pointed to leading payment platforms such as GCash and PayMaya, urging them to block gambling-related transactions.
“We want to see what you call corporate responsibility — social responsibility. Show us action,” Tulfo stressed during an interview with ABS-CBN News.
Concerns Over Social Responsibility
Tulfo’s comments come amid rising public concern over the social and economic effects of online gambling in the Philippines. He warned that the problem has worsened to the point where government welfare funds may be ending up in betting platforms.
“We used to hear rumors about 4Ps (Philippines’ poverty alleviation program) cash aid being used for card games like tong-its, but now the idea that state assistance could directly flow into online gambling is alarming,” he said.
The senator also condemned the proliferation of gambling ads on social media and mobile apps, questioning whether large, publicly listed corporations had abandoned basic ethical standards.
“These are big companies, even traded on the stock exchange. You operated just fine before online gambling — now, we want to see real corporate responsibility in action,” Tulfo said.
Central Bank Proposes Stricter Rules
As calls for reform grow louder, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has released a draft policy aimed at tightening financial oversight of gambling-related transactions.
The proposal introduces a new type of account — the Online Gambling Transaction Account (OGTA) — dedicated solely to betting transactions. Under the draft rules:
- Users could only transfer up to 20% of their average daily balance into OGTAs during a single six-hour window each day.
- Daily transaction caps would apply, with a 24-hour cooling-off period once the limit is reached to deter impulsive betting.
- Enhanced identity verification, including facial recognition, would be mandatory.
- Loan services would be disabled by default, and users could temporarily deactivate their gambling wallets.
Penalties for non-compliance could reach ₱100,000 (€1,570) per day, and up to ₱1,000,000 (€15,700) per illegal transaction. Repeat violations could result in suspension or permanent revocation of a company’s gambling payment license.
